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Electrofuels Could be the Future for Biofuel Production

OIL Price -- Could US oil imports be replaced with a single set of facilities producing biofuels from CO2, salt water and low-cost natural gas? Subsidy free, cropland free, mandate free?

If you happen to be awakening from a four-year nap, or returning from a tour of the outer solar system, you may not have been made aware that US natural gas prices have plummeted, and are expected to remain at half the cost of petroleum, or less, for years to come.

Now, it is common knowledge that cheap natural gas can be used to generate cheap power, or that low-cost compressed natural gas that can power some specially outfitted trucks. Fewer people know that natural gas is a platform for producing ethanol – either through fermentation or catalytic conversion (typically via methanol) – and drop-in fuels using the me

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Submitted Aug 09, 2012 By: mastermariner

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EvergreenON All-Star Author Ontario Posts:918 Points:478,715 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 2:40:49 PM Ignore EvergreenON Report Abuse Very good
1WI All-Star Author Appleton Posts:818 Points:274,255 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 1:22:14 PM Ignore 1WI Report Abuse nice
Don20 Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:9,647 Points:2,614,655 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 12:02:58 PM Ignore Don20 Report Abuse We have an over abundance of natural gas, so why not use it. The future should be put on Natural gas or Hydrogen. Both are plentifull. Or stay with Reg gas since we have a four thousand year know reserve, with N.and S Dakota Wyoming, and Alaska oil. www.usga.gov/new room/article.asp ID=1911
lesabreAZ Champion Author Phoenix Posts:1,676 Points:408,555 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 12:02:38 PM Ignore lesabreAZ Report Abuse Just release the nat gas cars and trucks while the price is low
RochBear Champion Author Minnesota Posts:10,449 Points:1,738,915 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:40:08 AM Ignore RochBear Report Abuse interesting article, but it's still using fossil fuels (natural gas). We should not be using our Natural gas for transportation, since we NEED it for heating our houses.
91Explorer All-Star Author Dallas Posts:634 Points:1,125,140 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:34:30 AM Ignore 91Explorer Report Abuse wow, I had no idea!
RedskinGas Champion Author Tennessee Posts:2,003 Points:1,128,010 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:33:17 AM Ignore RedskinGas Report Abuse Go CNG.
DblChek Champion Author San Antonio Posts:2,336 Points:612,415 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:32:37 AM Ignore DblChek Report Abuse Thank you, Mikesr11! My faith is New Yorkers has been restored!
HATinMUNDY Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,657 Points:759,670 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:31:14 AM Ignore HATinMUNDY Report Abuse Time will tell.....
greenfog Champion Author Illinois Posts:6,470 Points:1,634,270 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:30:26 AM Ignore greenfog Report Abuse this sounds like it might work.
mikesr11 Champion Author New York City Posts:3,476 Points:675,240 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:28:28 AM Ignore mikesr11 Report Abuse NOTHING IS CHEAP - EXCEPT JOE BIDEN DONATING A TOTAL OF $300.00 TO CHARITY EVERY YEAR, BUT HE IS VERY QUICK TO SPEND TAXPAYER MONEY THAT IS NOT HIS.
uptherefiners Champion Author Chicago Posts:5,048 Points:1,002,000 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:27:46 AM Ignore uptherefiners Report Abuse "Subsidy free, cropland free, mandate free?" doubt it
wdcutter All-Star Author Lansing Posts:631 Points:53,835 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:27:39 AM Ignore wdcutter Report Abuse Good for shale natural gas. My monthly bill just dropped from $120 a month to $80, but look what gasoline is doing.
sailormon Champion Author Michigan Posts:3,595 Points:809,210 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:27:10 AM Ignore sailormon Report Abuse The BIG problem is that the "cheap natural gas" is being produced by FRACKING!! And FRACKING is NOT good for the environment or the people who live near the wells or processing facilities. Just ask the people of Dish Texas about Fracking!
bicycler Champion Author Ontario Posts:14,815 Points:2,598,445 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:22:40 AM Ignore bicycler Report Abuse Sounds interesting to me
rf6480 Champion Author Miami Posts:1,528 Points:544,385 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:22:07 AM Ignore rf6480 Report Abuse still talking ethanol though
WIWalt Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:1,707 Points:411,565 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:21:37 AM Ignore WIWalt Report Abuse We will see
BeaconLite Champion Author Ottawa Posts:1,917 Points:365,275 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:21:19 AM Ignore BeaconLite Report Abuse No such thing as cheap power when greed sets in.
Amanstrom Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:1,857 Points:534,305 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:20:58 AM Ignore Amanstrom Report Abuse Interesting
sammy518 Champion Author Austin Posts:2,589 Points:539,790 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:20:49 AM Ignore sammy518 Report Abuse all innovations have to star...WD40 is named such because it was not the right formula as AA01...what would we do w/o WD40?
blazerbob91 Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:6,122 Points:1,879,630 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:17:38 AM Ignore blazerbob91 Report Abuse Says who
TripleHs Champion Author Austin Posts:3,355 Points:915,140 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:15:19 AM Ignore TripleHs Report Abuse wait to see
peakkeller Champion Author Colorado Springs Posts:1,674 Points:773,575 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 11:13:58 AM Ignore peakkeller Report Abuse Cool article - thanks for posting.
sabre75 Champion Author Florida Posts:1,663 Points:340,295 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 10:54:10 AM Ignore sabre75 Report Abuse ok
crep1291 Champion Author Ottawa Posts:2,576 Points:480,060 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 10:49:51 AM Ignore crep1291 Report Abuse Butanol is a drop-in replacement for gasoline with similar energy density and much lower corrosive potential than ethanol or methanol. It does gel up at room temperature, but it can be diluted to keep it in liquid form. Maybe one day we'll even have alcohol-producing panels on our roof tops (underneath our solar panels). No more need to go to the gas station.
leraar2 Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:3,739 Points:782,705 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 10:31:07 AM Ignore leraar2 Report Abuse nice if it can be scaled up. independence from food crops. of course, would have to toss out all existing engines (like we did our TV's) to run on pure higher octane ethanols. another advantage would be the better mileage obtained with the higher compression engines running on high octanes.
uglytom Champion Author Florida Posts:7,464 Points:1,542,015 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 10:03:36 AM Ignore uglytom Report Abuse NO..NO....NO......to ethanol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lcleveland Champion Author San Antonio Posts:2,642 Points:646,320 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 9:50:36 AM Ignore lcleveland Report Abuse whatever
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,031 Points:2,366,395 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 9:49:14 AM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse lets hope biofuels go the way of the horse and buggy
Bussman Champion Author Dallas Posts:5,497 Points:1,355,960 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 9:48:39 AM Ignore Bussman Report Abuse The author is correct in my case. I didn't know this. Interesting.
fowlcan Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:2,090 Points:679,615 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Aug 9, 2012 9:48:10 AM Ignore fowlcan Report Abuse Speculation and dreaming again.